I would agree with that, Mr. Tolmie. That's why I often say that it seems that the military is the first line of defence, because it's boots on the ground.
As some of my colleagues have mentioned, it is possible that there are specialized skills that may require the military, but I think as a general rule, many of the things that are required during a request for federal assistance don't necessarily need the military; it is about having boots on the ground. In my opinion, NGOs can often help to fill that gap, as opposed to it going directly to the military first.
As you said, the military's mandate is to defend our country first. Many NGOs have over 100 years of experience responding to disasters and already have a presence in many of the communities from coast to coast.